Only dealerships and anyone with a few bucks to spend on Aliexpress once someone bothers making a removal tool.
Or flathead screwdriver
And a dremel with a cutter wheel. Your answer is silly without that.
BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
41–50 of 125 posts
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#42That already is old news, lots of manufacturers do that. For example, the Passat 3B and later platforms introduced proprietary screws for the wheels and brakes, so you weren't able to change them yourself. Same for all kinds of sensors that will go rogue when the car is turned off and you change a sensor on the engine. All firmware gradually was modified each generation to allow less modifications and less self repai…
I believe its more about optimization for price and minimum amount of km you need to design something for. And in regards of screws: If you have too many laypeople doing stupid shit for critical components, you might also think 'lets fix that by adding a barrier'.
Why would that be your problem? Make it a warranty violation, and they can either get it fixed themselves, or pay you money you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#43Just like Apple with their pentagonal screws, or whatever it was. I'm sure there's even some twisted argument along the lines of "we're just doing it for user safety".
The patent actually reads "to prevent access by unauthorized persons", in TFA.
Meaning the users. And your neighborhood mechanic.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#44Surprisingly, we voted for this with our wallets. Heated seats and awd are very popular here.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#45This is outrageous and anti-customer. I’m completely sure the EU will be all over it any day now.
All of that will be accessible for third parties, because afaik it has to be in the EU. The cost is a different question, but I think that's not a surprise for BMW customers.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#46The solution is simple: just stop buying BMW.
I can't imagine this move would scare away potential BMW owners. The people buying these cars are rich and never service it at a third party. Also, the reputation of BMWs is well known: hard to work on, expensive, and lose value very fast.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#47The solution is simple: just stop buying BMW.
Voting with your money doesn't work in a world where all wealth is concentrated in oligopolies.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#48That already is old news, lots of manufacturers do that. For example, the Passat 3B and later platforms introduced proprietary screws for the wheels and brakes, so you weren't able to change them yourself. Same for all kinds of sensors that will go rogue when the car is turned off and you change a sensor on the engine. All firmware gradually was modified each generation to allow less modifications and less self repai…
> The real reason ... driving old cars is because they're easier to modify, easier to maintain, and easier to buy replacement parts for.
the real reason is that if a manufacturer makes their car same as those repairable, easily maintainable old cars, they will soon lose customers (as they stop needing to buy new ones!).
Planned obsolescence out-competes in a market economy that does not have regulation against it, esp. in a saturated market (like the US). The gov't could legislate, but then businesses cry foul - not mention that these manufacturers hang the sword of damocles over the gov't in the form of job losses (but of course, out-sourcing is OK...)
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#49That already is old news, lots of manufacturers do that. For example, the Passat 3B and later platforms introduced proprietary screws for the wheels and brakes, so you weren't able to change them yourself. Same for all kinds of sensors that will go rogue when the car is turned off and you change a sensor on the engine. All firmware gradually was modified each generation to allow less modifications and less self repai…
> [...] so you weren't able to change them yourself. This should be illegal. You're supposed to do what, stay on the roadside for 20h before an authorized repairman can reach you? What if the weather is harsh, and you run out of basic supplies like food or your medicine?
Towing exists.
Re: BMW Patents Proprietary Screws That Only Dealerships Can Remove
#50I think people are overreacting about what amounts to a patent. There's no evidence if BMW will actually use this and if they do how.
I'm not defending BMW here but there was a similar freak-out a few years ago about heated seats requiring monthly payments that ended up being a giant nothing burger.